


So Runs the World Away

by Clearpearls



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rating May Change, Romance, taxi driver au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-05-30 22:53:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6445525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clearpearls/pseuds/Clearpearls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A lonely taxi driver, a rainy night, and a crying man.</p><p>It's a surprisingly lonely profession, being a taxi driver. Over the years, Seungcheol's learned this. He's seen thousands of people sit in back of his car, but no one's ever affected him quite like Hong Jisoo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 Being a taxi driver is about as close to invisible as a person can get. Seungcheol's learned this over the years. Most people glance at him in the center mirror for about two seconds before snapping directions at him. Then, it's silence until the taxi arrives at its destination. He's generally just handed the money quickly and the passenger is on his or her way with a gentle shut of the car door if he's lucky. He hates door-slammers.

    Sometimes he'll get a terse thank you before a person exits the taxi. Those are always nice to hear once in a while. Gradually, he's learned that people in the big city generally just don't have the time to be nice. 

    It's always refreshing when he gets tourists in the car. They'll sometimes talk his ear off, telling him how nice the city is and asking him for restaurant recommendations. (He does know an incredible fried chicken place.) He'll reply back with stories of city life and they'll just eat it up. Seungcheol's always been a social person, so he lives for these types of moments, where it's okay to ramble.

    But most of the time, taxi driving is a lonely and quiet profession, despite almost constantly having another person around. To keep himself entertained, sometimes he'll look at a person and try to figure out their story, why they're going where they're going. He sees busy business people, drunks, mothers, fathers, families, and college students all with vastly different lives, just happening to cross paths with him for a moment on their way to someplace else. Strangely, this makes him feel somewhat special.

                                                                                                                                                                      

  
    The radio blares a pop song that Seungcheol knows by heart now, after listening to this station replay it every hour for the past three days. There's an older woman in the back seat, singing along loudly with a slurred voice. Her eyes keep closing, head lolling around with the rhythm of the song. Seungcheol sighs. She's obviously very drunk, and he really doesn't want to deal with this right now, not at nearly midnight.

    The taxi approaches her stop, and he looks back to find the woman asleep. 

    "We've arrived," Seungcheol calls loudly, hoping to wake her.

    There's no response.

    "Your ride is over, ma'am," he tries a little louder.

    She continues to sleep.

    "Ma'am! Please wake up!" Seungcheol almost shouts, nearing exasperation.

    She jolts awake. "...Are we already here?" She rubs her eyes, blindly grabbing a wad of bills from her purse and shoving it at Seungcheol. "Here."

    He doesn't even bother trying to count it. She opens the door, mumbles 'thank you', steps out and promptly falls face first into the pavement. Seungcheol thrusts open the door and runs across the front of the taxi to help her up. He doesn't deserve this right now.

    "I'm so sorry, young man. I'm feeling a little unstable right now."

     _A little?_

    He helps her up quickly, hands her her purse, bows politely, and then gets back in the taxi. Mercifully, his shift is almost over. He probably has time for only one more passenger.

    He drives around the area for a few minutes, searching the sidewalks for waiting people. The city lights flicker past, and he rolls down the window, letting the fresh night air into the car. He turns down a street and continues to look. 

    There's a man standing silently on the sidewalk, arm raised to attract Seungcheol's attention. Seungcheol slows, pulling in to the sidewalk to let the man in the car. When he stops, the man pulls the door open quietly and sits down in the back. 

    Seungcheol glances at the mirror. The man looks to be around his age, judging from his face. His hair is parted sideways, a sleek business style. Probably a young businessman. Seungcheol wonders what he's doing going home alone on a Thursday at nearly midnight. The man meets his gaze in the mirror, and Seungcheol quickly averts his eyes.

    He clears his throat. "Where to?"

    "448 Corner Street," the man softly replies, saying nothing more.

    "Got it."

    The man stays silent for the rest of the ride. Seungcheol can't help but glance at him from time to time, admiring his handsome face. He sees a lot of good-looking people every day, but this man has a memorable charm to his features.

    He notices the man's clenched fists the whole ride and how he stares pensively out the window. A sharp sigh leaves the man's lips. 

    Rain begins to fall outside the car. Seungcheol curses inwardly. He forgot to bring his umbrella today. He hopes the man has one. 

    As he presses the button to turn the windshield wipers on, he hears a small noise from the back. A sniffle. He quickly glances in the mirror. The man is silently crying, two tears running down his face. He lowers his head to stare at his lap, shaking.

    Seungcheol just sits there, hands clutching the wheel. He doubts this man wants comfort from a taxi driver, even though Seungcheol's heart clenches everytime a sob breaks out of the man. He endures it for a few minutes before breaking.

    One hand on the wheel, he digs around, finding a packet of tissues stuffed in the glove box of the car. Holding them, he sticks his hand in the backseat. The man looks up from his lap and slowly plucks them out of his palm.

    Seungcheol hears the crinkle as the packaging is opened, and then the man begins to dry his tears. The taxi nears the man's stop, and Seungcheol gently begins to apply the brake.

    The car comes to a stop at a small apartment complex, but the man doesn't move to get out of the car. He just clutches the tissues tightly, once again staring at his lap.

    Seungcheol doesn't know what to do, so his mouth takes over. "Um, we've arrived, sir. I don't really know what happened, but you look like you've had a rough night." The man looks up, staring at Seungcheol in the mirror. "Be careful getting home, and don't worry about paying for the ride. It's on me." His boss might kill him, but right now he just wants to pay the man a little kindness.

    The man's mouth opens slightly at his words, and he nods. He begins to gather his things and opens the door, opening up his umbrella before he exits. Getting out of the taxi, he turns to walk away before turning back around to face the car. 

    He bends down and quietly whispers, "Thank you." Then the door is shut, and Seungcheol is alone.

    Somehow, he can tell the man genuinely meant his words. Pulling out of the sidewalk area, Seungcheol wonders foolishly that if somehow he and this man meet again in this city of millions he'll find out the story behind the man's silent tears. 

    He knows he can only hope.

 


	2. 2.

   "So how's work been?"

    Seungcheol sits at a small table in a restaurant, the smell of meat cooking all around him. His eyes flick up and he answers, "Just the usual."

    Jeonghan, who sits across from him, just nods and grunts in acknowledgement at this. Seungcheol's known Jeonghan for years. They met in college, kept having classes together, and eventually became close friends. 

    Taking a sip of his drink, Jeonghan asks, "Any interesting stories this week? I remember last time you told me about the lady who forgot her shopping bags and chased you down four blocks before you noticed. I don't know if you can top that."

    Seungcheol thinks back to all the customers that passed through his taxi that week. Memories flash back and forth. He thinks of the drunk lady that kept falling down, the old man who insisted he had once been the president, and the family who had gotten scammed by a street vendor before getting in the taxi. However, one instance sticks in his mind. He can't help but vividly remember the crying man on that rainy night. He wishes he had gotten a better look at the man's face. Even if it was barely a five minute drive, just those five minutes were able to tattoo themselves in his brain, making sure he would remember. And he does.

    "Um..." Seungcheol starts. "I do have something I can't get out of my head, but it's not a funny story."

    Jeonghan looks curious, "What is it, then?"

    "Well, it was near the end of my shift a few nights ago. There was a man who got in the taxi, kept quiet, and then suddenly started crying."

    Nodding along as Seungcheol speaks, Jeonghan asks, "Did you say anything?"

    "I ended up giving him a free ride."

    Jeonghan's eyebrows shoot up. "What? Why?"

    Seungcheol just shrugs. "I don't really know. Maybe I just didn't want to be the faceless driver when someone clearly needed comfort. I didn't really do much. He's probably forgotten about it by now, but it's just stuck in my head for some reason."

    "Well, you had noble motivations. Was this the first time something like that happened?"

    "No, I usually get someone who cries in the backseat at least twice a month. He was just special, I guess."

    Jeonghan looks at him for a long time. "Hmmmm."

    Seungcheol just lets him stare; he's grown used to Jeonghan's quirks. 

    Jeonghan shifts in his seat. "If you see him again, talk to him a little more. Maybe find out his name."

    "The chances of the happening are close to none. Do you know how many taxis there are in this city?"

    "It's still possible," Jeonghan says as he sips his drink.

    Seungcheol just sighs, shaking his head.

                                                                                                                            

  
    The next week is even busier than normal due to there being an music festival in town. Crowds of tourists flood the streets, desperate to find their way through the city. There's sometimes a crazed look in their eyes as they try to flag down a taxi. Seungcheol hates when they have screaming children with them. Those rides are never pleasant.

    It's the late afternoon now, and the sun is slowly making its descent in the sky. The buildings seem to be bathed in a warm orange glow. This is Seungcheol's favorite time of day.

    He currently has a family of concert-goers in the back of the taxi, complete with a toddler and a teenage boy who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. The toddler occasionally lets out random high-pitched shrieks and crawls all over the seats of the car. The mother and father, clearly frazzled, at least somewhat attempt to make the child behave. Seungcheol has to hand it to the teenager; he's practically unaffected. 

    It's mid-day, but the traffic is horrible. Seungcheol is trying to merge into a different lane, but no one is bothering to make a space for him. He figures he should warn the family in the back that their ride might end up being a little longer than they planned.

    Seungcheol turns to face the back slightly. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but this might take somewhat than normal. Traffic's pretty backed up."

    "I told you we should have walked," says the father.

    The mother sighs. "Is there any way that you could let us out here? We can try to walk the rest of the way if it'll be faster."

    "Um, I can try. I can't guarantee that it'll be faster, though. You just never know in this city." Seungcheol pauses, thinking. "It's a long way to walk, too. Are you sure?"

    They quietly discuss the decision for a few seconds. The mother speaks up, finally. "You can just let us out here."

    "Be careful on your way, then."

    They hand him their fee after he safely parks the taxi on the curbside and then exit the car. The teenager is out last, looking even more sullen than a few minutes before. It must be the walking; Seungcheol used to hate walking, too.

    He quickly drives off, looking back into his rear window briefly to see the family beginning their journey across the sidewalks. He wishes them luck. 

                                                                                                                             

  
    Hours later, after traffic has cleared and the sun has made way for the moon, Seungcheol is almost done for the day. It's nearing midnight and he unconsciously begins aimlessly driving, not really paying attention to the people waiting on the sidewalk. He finds himself approaching an unfamiliar corner, lit up by a single streetlight. 

    Someone is standing there, but Seungcheol can't really make out a face with all the shadows surrounding the person. He does recognize that a hand is raised to get his attention, so he slows the taxi and approaches. He stops the car, and the person quickly enters, closing the door with gentle force.

    Seungcheol checks his fuel gauge and absently asks, "Where to?"

    "448 Corner Street."

    Seungcheol lets out a sharp breath at those words, his head shooting up to peer in the mirror. The man from two weeks before stares back at him, and Seungcheol blinks rapidly. 

    "G-Got it," he stutters, suddenly nervous.

    He then turns the wheel, beginning the drive. Minutes pass, and the man remains silent. Seungcheol doesn't know if he should say something or not. Eventually, though, his mouth takes over.

    "Um, I'm sorry if you don't remember me from a few weeks ago, but I ended up giving you a tissue. Did you get home safely?" Seungcheol says quickly.

    The man quietly replies, "I somehow managed it. I remember you."

    Hearing that makes Seungcheol irrationally happy. It's rare that people even speak to him, much less remember him.

    The man turns to look out the window, a slight smile curving his lips upward.

    "I hope you don't mind me asking, but what caused you to be out in the rain in the middle of the night? I don't see a lot of people then," Seungcheol carries on.

    There is silence filling the car for a few seconds, and then the man answers. "Just some personal problems. It was a bad night."

    Seungcheol can tell the man is not going to go into the details, but he doesn't mind. It's not his right to know.

    So, he just hums in acknowledgement. The man seems to relax seeing his reaction, probably prepared for prying. Seungcheol is curious, but he's not rude.

    They spend the rest of the ride in companionable silence. Seungcheol keeps his eyes on the road, occasionally looking in the mirror at the man. (He only gets caught once.)

    The taxi nears the apartment complex, and Seungcheol parks at the entrance. The man reaches into his pockets to find money for the fee. He smoothly hands it to Seungcheol and opens the taxi door, starting to climb out. Seungcheol realizes that he forgot to ask for the man's name.

    "Wait!" Seungcheol yells, stupidly.

    Startled, the man abruptly stops, halfway out the door.

    "I, um, never got your name...?" Seungcheol stumbles through awkwardly.

    The man looks puzzled, but answers anyway. "It's Jisoo. Hong Jisoo."

    "Jisoo," Seungcheol repeats.

    The man sharply nods, says a quick _thank you_ , and then shuts the door of the car. Seungcheol watches him disappear into the building before beginning to drive.

    His shift is now over, and he should be thinking about finally going home and falling asleep in bed, but instead, his mind is filled with a name.

    


	3. 3.

    The next time Seungcheol sees Hong Jisoo it's a windy day, the wind whipping signs across the street. The sky slowly darkens, but it's a calm chaos. People just zip up their coats and tie their hair, not letting the weather disturb their journeys. Seungcheol is honestly just glad that he's in the safety of a taxi, so he doesn't have to deal with the imminent storm.

    He rounds a corner and notices a medium sized crowd gathered on the sidewalk, hands all raised and frantically waving in his direction. He always feels bad for the people that he has to leave behind in these bunches; whoever makes it in the taxi first is the only person that he can take. 

    Seungcheol slows, parks, and braces himself. It's a mad dash, judging by the sounds he hears as the door is slowly pried open. Seungcheol avoids looking at the right side of the car because he hates seeing the potential passengers' disappointed expressions. (Seungcheol is pretty soft at heart, even if he pretends not to be.)

    The lucky person shuts the taxi door and plops down with a sigh of relief. 

    As Seungcheol turns to face the passenger he remarks cheerfully, "Congratulations! You're the lucky winner of a ride with a great driver!"

    Finishing rummaging through bags, the rider looks up at that and laughs brightly. Something seems _familiar_. Seungcheol's palms begin to sweat, and it's as if he just _knows_. Seungcheol thinks his brain might be short-circuiting, but he's fairly sure that the passenger in his backseat is Hong Jisoo. 

    Looking in the mirror quickly to confirm his suspicions, Seungcheol recognizes the same put-together hairstyle and sad eyes that he has twice before. Before he smoothly glance away without being obvious, Seungcheol ruins his nonchalant act with a sudden coughing fit. It's not a graceful opening to conversation, and Seungcheol wishes he could somehow smack himself.

    As his coughs get increasingly worse, he hears Jisoo worriedly ask, "Are you okay? Pull over if you have to; I won't be angry."

    Seungcheol tries to reply but just nods instead, pulling the taxi over to the side of the street. Miraculously, his coughs stop as soon as he pulls over, and he justs sits there, breathing heavily for a few seconds. 

    A hand reaches over the front seats and a small package is placed in Seungcheol's hand.

    "It's a cough drop," Jisoo explains. "I always travel with a few in my pocket. You never know when they might come in handy."

    Seungcheol gratefully unwraps the candy and pops it into his mouth. "Thank you. I thought I might be dying for a second there."

    "No problem. Just think of it as a little bit of repayment for the first time you drove me."

    Seungcheol's breath stutters. "You still...remember me?"

    "Why wouldn't I?" Jisoo says, and it feels like Seungcheol has been waiting his whole life to hear just that one sentence. Years and years of being a faceless driver to almost the entire population of a city has caused him to feel tiny and insignificant, and this is the perfect reassurance that he can mean _something_.

    Seungcheol is truly honest when he replies. "Most people don't bother."

    Jisoo's mouth twitches into a sad smile, like he knows exactly what Seungcheol means. His eyes seem to search Seungcheol's, looking for something Seungcheol knows not.

    The moment is broken when a car horn blares to the right of them, probably someone getting frustrated at the traffic. 

    "Um, I should probably start getting you where you need to go, right?" Seungcheol laughs.

    Jisoo faintly smiles. "Probably so. 448 Corner Street, please."

    Seungcheol quickly turns around, changes gears, and turns the taxi into back onto the road. Through his glimpses in the mirror, he notices that Jisoo just stares out the window for most of the ride. His expression is neutral but thoughtful at the same time. Seungcheol can't help but wonder what's going through his mind.

    It's a surprisingly short time before Seungcheol is pulling up at the sidewalk next to the apartment complex. He stops the taxi and says quietly, "We're here."

    Jisoo gathers up his bags and hands Seungcheol his fare. "Thank you for the ride. By the way, I think I forgot to ask for your name last time."

    "Oh, um, it's Choi Seungcheol." 

    Jisoo smiles, a true smile. "Maybe I'll get to ride with you again sometime, Choi Seungcheol." He shuts the taxi door.

                                                                                                                                                                                       ---

    Seungcheol fumbles with the keys to his apartment, managing to eventually unlock the door. Darkness greets him, along with a small meow. A small gray cat rubs against his leg, and he leans down to scratch its ears. The cat is a stray he had picked up, left outside his building. He had always had been somewhat tenderhearted and couldn't help but pick up the small cat.

    Now, he as he fills a dish with cat food, he pets the soft fur and smiles. Seungcheol shuffles across his living room to sit next to his window, gazing out into the view of the city. It's a busy place, and it makes him feel a bit small. But, for the first time, he doesn't dwell on the thought. Instead, he thinks back to Jisoo and the drive, and that helps him feel just a bit bigger.

                                                                                                                                                                                        ---

    The fourth time Seungcheol sees Hong Jisoo is somewhat similar to the first time. It's once again a rainy night and close to midnight. Seungcheol's just ready for his shift to be over after dealing with a grumpy middle-aged woman who refused to decide on a radio station. Seungcheol eventually gave up and shut off the radio altogether, fed up with the woman's complaining.

    He's currently waiting next to the sidewalk, parked to let someone just hop in. And someone does, with a sharp jerk to the taxi door. Seungcheol looks up and meets the familiar eyes of Hong Jisoo in the mirror.

    Unlike the last time Seungcheol saw him, his face is grim and his eyes are red. Their eyes stay connected for a few seconds and then Jisoo pleads, "Please, just drive. I don't care where. Just drive."

    And so Seungcheol does. He speeds through the city as Jisoo quietly falls apart in the backseat. His sobs seem to echo throughout the taxi, piercing Seungcheol's heart. 

    They ride like this for close to an hour, before Seungcheol can't take it anymore and stops the car. His hands tensely clutch the wheel, and Jisoo looks up in confusion, his face stained with tears.

    Seungcheol knows he's probably not allowed to do this, but he gets out the taxi, walks around to Jisoo's side, and opens the door. Jisoo just stares up at him in shock.

    Seungcheol takes his hand, and begins leading him out of the taxi. "Come on. We're getting out of this car. Follow me."

    Jisoo lets himself be led into the small park Seuncheol has parked next to. They find a bench, and Seungcheol sits down with Jisoo following him. 

    Seungcheol worriedly looks at Jisoo, taking in his despondent expression. "Wait right here. I'll get you something to drink."

    Jisoo nods, looking at the ground. Seungcheol hurriedly runs to the nearest vending machine, gets a water, and runs back.

    He gives the bottle to Jisoo, who unscrews the lid carefully and takes a small sip. The street lights in the park shine around them, lighting up the dark night. 

    Seungcheol quietly starts, "I thought you might want some fresh air."

    Jisoo just makes a small noise in reply.

    "You don't have to tell me anything. Just sit here and cry if you want to. You can pretend that I'm not here."

    With that, Jisoo's tears begin to fall again. His sobs are a little louder now in the open night air. Seungcheol just focuses on a street lamp a few feet away.

    He feels fingers gently clutch on to his coat, and Jisoo's sobs get a little closer. A head seems to burrow itself into his side, face pressing into the fabric. Seungcheol tentatively wraps an arm around Jisoo in comfort. 

    Minutes later, Jisoo stops crying, breathing quietly into Seungcheol's coat. He slowly raises himself, and looking at the ground, asks, "Can you drive me home?"

    Seungcheol reaches for his hand. "Let's go."

    Once they're back in the taxi, Jisoo stares up at him in the mirror as they drive. His eyes are slightly swollen from the crying. Seungcheol can't help but wonder what made him so upset.

    They arrive at Jisoo's apartment building, and Seungcheol parks the taxi. Jisoo makes no move to get out, just looks down at his knees in concentration. Seungcheol notices belatedly that Jisoo doesn't have a coat, and the night is cold. He slowly shrugs his coat off and hands it to Jisoo, who looks up in surprise.

    "I should've given it to you earlier. It's cold tonight," Seungcheol says in explanation. 

    Jisoo hesitantly plucks it from his fingers. "Thank you." Realization flashes across his face. "Oh! I need to pay you for the drive."

    "Don't worry about it."

    Jisoo looks like he wants to protest, but Seungcheol just stares until he just begins to grab his things. 

    As Jisoo exits, he turns and says, "Thank you for tonight, Seungcheol. I really mean it."

    Seungcheol just smiles in reply.

 


	4. 4.

    A few days after the night in the park, Seungcheol is working in the late afternoon instead of practically the middle of the night. He's glad that he might be able to get to sleep at a decent hour. Driving until one o'clock in the morning for several days straight tends to take a toll on his body. 

    Seungcheol hasn't seen Jisoo since the night where he had ended up giving him his jacket. He wonders if Jisoo is feeling any better. Although they are still virtually strangers, Seungcheol can't help but feel concern. It had been the second time he had seen Jisoo in such a state, although it had seemed somewhat worse the most recent time. 

    Seungcheol snaps out of his thoughts and tries to focus back on the road. The passenger in the back, a young woman, clears her throat loudly, and Seungcheol realizes that he is nearing her destination. He begins to gently apply the brake, and the taxi comes to a stop outside a large office building. 

    The woman very quickly gathers her things and hands Seungcheol the taxi fare. He registers a short 'thanks', and then she shuts the door. However, almost as soon as the door is shut, it is harshly yanked open once again.

    Seungcheol hears a loud voice and inwardly grumbles. He enjoys talkative passengers but not exceptionally _loud_ passengers. He hears a _plop_ as the person takes a seat.

    Glancing up into the mirror quickly, he notices there are actually _two_ passengers: a man rummaging through a bag with his face obscured by the fabric and another man enthusiastically speaking into his cell phone. Seungcheol knows he needs to ask one of them where they need to go, but he doesn't want to interrupt a phone call or the other man who is still searching for something. So, he waits quietly for a few moments, willing one of the two to speak. Nothing comes.

    Seungcheol sighs and gives up. He prepares to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the phone and looks into the backseat just as the man with the bag finally tilts his head up. Warm brown eyes meet his, recognition flashing in them. Hong Jisoo has once again found his way inside Seungcheol's taxi somehow. 

    Seungcheol swallows and asks, "Where will you two be going today?" He glances over at the other man, who seems to have ended his loud phone call.

    Jisoo opens his mouth to reply, but the other man beats him to it. "Can you drop us off at the Italian restaurant beside Central Parkway? Do you think you can get there in less than ten minutes? It's a company lunch, and we can't be late."

    "I'll see what I can do. Traffic at this hour is unpredictable."

    The man slightly frowns at this. "Well, just try your best. Thank you."

    Seungcheol politely nods and takes that as his cue to turn back around. He quickly shifts gears and merges into the flow of traffic. His eyes flick up to the mirror to find Jisoo staring back in return. He looks away and focuses back on the road after a few seconds. Should he say something? He's unsure what to do with this unfamiliar person in the taxi.

    After a few moments of thought, Seungcheol decides to stay quiet. He expertly fiddles with the radio, and the beginning notes of a pop song fill the taxi. 

    Hearing this, the other man excitedly nudges Jisoo. "Jisoo, Jisoo! I love this song!"

    Seungcheol hears a grunt of acknowledgement from Jisoo, and suddenly, the other man bursts into song, matching the radio singer's pitch almost exactly. 

    Seungcheol's eyes go wide at the sudden backseat concert. The man sings for nearly a full minute before Jisoo finally says in exasperation, "Seungkwan! Please stop!"

    Seungcheol allows himself to look in the mirror. The man, Seungkwan, pauses for a second, smirks at Jisoo, and then proceeds to sing even louder than before. Jisoo lets out a deep breath and _glares_. Seungkwan just smiles brightly and continues to sing. 

    Seungcheol lets out a quiet laugh, seeing Jisoo's frown. _How cute_. 

    "Please, Seungkwan. I'll pay the fare if you stop," Jisoo bargains. Seungcheol has to admit that it's a good deal.

    "Nope."

    "Nope?"

    Seungkwan continues and reaches out to hug Jisoo, singing into his ear. Seungcheol is glad that the taxi is stopped at a red light, so he can look back safely. Jisoo's cheeks go red and he seems to curl into himself to break Seungkwan's hold, but Seungkwan just holds tighter, a hand reaching over to curl around Jisoo's wrist. _Huh_.  
    Seungcheol suddenly feels an unwelcome sensation in his stomach. He turns his attention back to the road just as the light changes to green. Trying to ignore the rest of the conversation in the back, he manages to get them to their restaurant in about eight minutes. 

    He parks the taxi, turns around, and is handed the fare as Seungkwan exclaims, "You really did do it in less than ten minutes!"

    Seungcheol smiles tightly and nods. Seungkwan quickly picks up his bags and opens the door, bounding out of the taxi and shouting, "Come on, Jisoo!"

    "Go ahead and go in without me. I lost something in the floorboard," Jisoo calls after him. Seungcheol reaches over to turn off the radio.

    "Suit yourself. I'm not saving you a seat."

    Seungcheol hears Jisoo growl a 'whatever' under his breath. He busies himself tapping on the steering wheel while Jisoo presumably looks for his fallen item.

    "Seungcheol."

    Seungcheol meets Jisoo's gaze. He looks apologetic, clutching onto the fabric of his shirt.

    "Sorry about that. He's always like that."

    "It's no problem. I've dealt with much worse."

    Jisoo's mouth opens slightly at that. "Still, thanks for putting up with us." He moves to open the taxi door.

    "Do you ever wonder how we keep meeting?" Seungcheol quietly asks as Jisoo grips the door handle.

    Jisoo looks back and smiles. "Every time."

                                                                                                                                                                                     ---

    Seungcheol doesn't see Jisoo for a while after that. One night he's out with Jeonghan and the conversation drifts into the territory of his job.

    "Jeonghan."

    "Yes, Seungcheol?" Jeonghan answers, sipping a glass of water.

    "Do you remember about a month or so ago when we talked about that man who cried that one night in my taxi?" Seungcheol asks.

    "Vaguely, yes. Did he show up again or something?"

    "Yes. Over five times."

    Jeonghan chokes a little as he drinks, hearing this. "What? Can that actually happen in a city as big as this?"

    "Apparently so."

    "Well?" Jeonghan prods.

    "Well," Seungcheol starts. "A few weeks ago, maybe the third time I saw him, he showed up in a worse state than the first time. I ended up driving him to a park to calm down and giving him my jacket. Actually, I haven't gotten that back..."

    "And?" Jeonghan motions for Seungcheol to continue.

    "And, I saw him a few days ago, with another person. I think they worked at the same company or something? I was happy to see him, but not with another person. It just felt strange."

    Jeonghan sets his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hand. "You know what this sounds like, Seungcheol?"

    "What?"

    "It sounds like jealousy," Jeonghan says carefully.

    Seungcheol furrows his brows. "Jealousy? No, I don't even really know this man at all."

    "That's just what it sounds like to me."

    Seungcheol continues to refute Jeonghan's statements, and eventually the topic dies and they part ways for the night.

    Later, lying in his bed, Seungcheol's mind drifts back to Jeonghan's words. Was he really jealous? He thinks back to Seungkwan's hand wrapped around Jisoo's wrist and feels a sinking feeling in his stomach at the memory.

    Deciding not to think about it longer, he tries to drift off to sleep.

                                                                                                                                                                                    ---

    It's a Friday night, and Seungcheol has been assigned to circle around a part of the city filled with bars. Days like these are always hard due to most of the passengers being drunk. Trying to pry out and address from a person in that state is difficult work.

    There's an older man currently in the taxi, and he's rattling off the winning lottery numbers of the past seven weeks to Seungcheol. Seungcheol patiently listens, but he's very thankful when he drops the man off and someone new enters the taxi in his place.

    This new passenger opens the taxi door, sits down, and then promptly passes out. Seungcheol snaps around to look back and sees Hong Jisoo asleep in his backseat. He quickly unbuckles his seat belt and leans over to try to wake him up.

    He tentatively sets a hand on Jisoo's side and tries to shake him awake. Nothing happens. He taps, pokes, and almost slaps Jisoo in order to wake him, but his eyes stay closed, his breathing steady. 

    Seungcheol begins to think. He knows Jisoo's apartment complex after taking him there multiple times. However, he has no idea which number Jisoo lives in or if the door requires a passcode. He doesn't want to leave him on the street or something either.

    So, he decides to bring Jisoo with him to his apartment. Seungcheol drives to the taxi storage facility, switches out cars, and manages to drag Jisoo with him. They arrive at his building, and Seungcheol attempts to maneuver Jisoo onto his back so he can carry him up the two flights to his doorstep.

    Somehow, they make it up the stairs, not without a little bit of stopping. Seungcheol manages to open the door quickly, and he carries Jisoo into his room, gently setting him on the bed. He wants Jisoo to at least be comfortable. 

    Seungcheol notices that Jisoo is wearing an uncomfortable suit that is probably not great for sleeping but he decides to just leave it on. He doesn't want Jisoo to feel strange if he wakes up in unfamiliar clothes. 

    Seungcheol fills a glass with water and leaves it on the bedside table, along with an aspirin for the morning. He gently shuts the door after looking back at Jisoo sleeping peacefully. 

    As Seungcheol settles in for bed himself, he wonders what the morning will bring.


End file.
